Alva Tavern

Don’t waste your time. Overly expensive and pretentious.
We walked in the week before and made reservations to have a certain waiter and everything. When we got there they had no clue where our reservation was and the waiter we wanted wasn’t there, so we wound up with someone who doesn’t know how to wait tables. (It’s not that big of a deal… but when you include the price and pretentiousness… it’s no ok)
The food was decent, but small portions. Tables next to us were ordering extra portions. It takes forever to be served and they leave a side door open, so it’s always drafty.
The décor is amazing, but that’s all I got. They are trying so hard to get the NYC crowd in since it’s right next to the convention center, but they need to realize they are in Newark. Take it down a couple of notches.
Personally I go to Joe’s Crab Shack which is a block down!

Let’s start off with the positives. The décor is nice. Yes that’s it. We arrived in from New York around 9 pm no one in the restaurant (should have been a clue). The server was very nice but had to go back 5 – 6 times to ask basic questions like meat that was on the app platter, what could be made for a child, what was on a salad. Maybe she was new. The burger was ok. The chicken tenders overcooked. The sampler bland.
It took forever to get drinks, although my beer was fine. Service was slow. They had 8 people working but no one seemed to be in a hurry. Bill came to $ 75, but wasn’t worth $ 30. Definitely will not eat there again.
Oh and who serves mustard in packets in a restaurant these days. Come on people.

I love everything in this place from breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We are here all the time when we stayed here. Love the burger and the chicken sandwich!!! They give you breakfast voucher if you’re staying here, so basically breakfast is free. 2 breakfast vouchers per room.

They must’ve ironed out the kinks because I’ve got nothing but positive things to say about Alva. Both times that I’ve been here I sat at the bar and the bartenders were conversational and friendly. My food arrived quickly and it was very good. I do agree that this place is kinda pricey, but isn’t that the norm for a hotel bar? I mean look at how upscale it is. I imagine the people staying at the hotel with the expense accounts aren’t concerned with the menu prices so that might be who the restaurant is targeting. Very fine restaurant, especially for date night.

Staying in the Indigo and had dinner in Alva to avoid traffic from game at Prudential. I should have braved the traffic. I had the Caesar salad and the Burrata app. Both were really disappointing. The Caesar had so much anchovy in the dressing that it tasted like someone had dumped a tin of oil in the dressing. The tomatoes for the Burrata were cheap beefsteak, which for $ 13 you get three slices and a thimble of balsamic. One star for the food, but gave two overall because the staff were very friendly. I should have ordered a pizza.

When walking in you get a super cool vibe. Very inviting and modern. I’m not sure if it was just an off night but it took 20 minutes to get our glass of wine. When the waiter finally came over I asked what the soup of the day was and he told me it was a creamy chicken soup. I ordered that with a salad and my mom ordered a burger. It took 50 minutes to get our food out and went finally did, the creamy chicken soup was actually vegetable soup. My mom’s burger was medium rare when she ordered it medium well but the bun was rockhard. She asked if they could put the burger back on the grill and when they did the waiter took the burger but left the hard bun on her plate, which we thought was strange. At the end of the night the waiter was kind enough to bring us a free dessert. He was very kind but the food was less than mediocre

This place is ok for drinks. Food wise overly priced. And it takes ages to get your food.

Decided to try out this restaurant on my last day of my stay. Was not impressed. There were 7 tables seated and at least 3 servers working but somehow I only saw my server once. A nice woman with glasses seemed like she was the only one who actually wanted to help anyone. Ordered a breakfast sandwich that said it had a «runny egg.» The order took about 30 minutes to be prepared. Again, with just 7 tables sat. When it arrived the egg was way over done and had completely cooked through. Way over priced for the service and food quality.

I love staying at Hotel Indigo whenever I’m in the area. I finally had the opportunity to try their breakfast menu and it was great! There is a little bit for everyone to try and start their day off on the right foot. The service was EXCELLENT but that’s no surprise since the entire staff at Hotel Indigo is phenomenal. The ambiance is beautiful with rustic touches and art around the restaurant.
I had the pancakes with a side of fruit and they were made to perfection. The latte was also delicious. My friend had the American breakfast and he cleaned up his plate. And the MUSIC was GREAT! It was definitely a great experience.
My only suggestion would be to have a few more menu items that are gluten free friendly and vegetarian friendly. That’s the only reason for the missing star. Overall it was GREAT!

Two Stars; one for the server and one for the décor; that’s it.
Being a from Newark; I was very disappointed. Stopped by for lunch today; unfortunately we wasted $ 80.00 (bill & tip).
We ordered the Cheese & Meat plate as an appetizer; $ 16.00 on the menu; described as an assortment of cured meats and artesian cheeses. For $ 16.00 you receive 3 pieces of one type of cheese; and 6 thin slices of pepperoni. Plus a small piece of bread, some mustard and about a tablespoon of pickles. Honestly this wasn’t worth $ 1.60; never mind $ 16.00.
The two entrees: one was mussels with chorizo. Problem (s); it couldn’t be finished after about 5 mussels; besides it being flavorless; the broth and entire dish had an aroma of fish; as far as chorizo goes; there was two small pieces.
The other entrée was a Bibb salad with grilled chicken; peaches, crumbled blue cheese and ranch dressing. The difficult part is why this was so different from the same salad I had here a week ago. It was just ok; nothing to write home about.
It should be noted; we were the only ones eating there at lunch time.
As much as I try to push my business locally; I don’t think I’ll be going back.

Eat here if you have all day to kill. Stood at the hotel for the Kevin Hart concert at Prudential. Let me start by saying that it took over 20 mins to get our coffee. Aft the first 15 mins the waitress comes over to tell us that they did not have whole milk and only had skim. When the coffee arrived, we had to tell the waitress that we wanted to order breakfast. 30 mins later we are still waiting for eggs. I could only imagine the service when the restaurant is crowded

The Alva struggles on event nights, maybe they simply don’t staff up for those occasional brief bursts of insanity. My rating is only for the rooftop bar, other reviews will set your expectations for the restaurant’s inability to cope with impatient crowds bound for the Rock right next door.
Other watering holes were beyond packed so we stumbled in about 6pm for the proverbial pre-​show drink. Half the tables were empty yet the hostess stated a 30 minute wait for a table. Hmm. Go to the upstairs bar, she said, and upstairs means rooftop (not second floor).
The big airy glassed-​in space on the 13^th floor had good views, big garage-​style doors, indoor and outdoor tables, barbed-​wire art on the walls, a gracious lady tending bar, 8 draft beers and happy hour pricing. We got Lagunitas pilsners for $ 3.75 each, cheap pours on an event-​day Saturday, woot! Other drafts included Labatt Blue, a yummy chocolate stout, and a few macrobrews. But mostly we fetched those beers ourselves because there was only one waitress for the entire rooftop, impossible to meet the demand. The bartender felt no particular sense of urgency either, the computer was slow, everything just took forever.
On the rooftop all the Bar Bites are $ 10, options included lamb meatballs, meat & cheese plate, shishito peppers, tuna tostadas, prosciutto-​wrapped dates and more, all really sounded good. Food comes from the basement kitchen so it’s a long wait, and it’s not going to be spectacularly hot either despite the copious amounts of plastic wrap they use. We tried the Thai-​style chicken wings, very good wingers but only 5, so the food prices were a bit high.
When we strolled out at 7:15 the place was nearly empty again. That helped me understand why they probably don’t bother to schedule extra wait staff for super short shifts on event nites.
The rooftop bar worked for us, really rounding up for those 3 stars tho.

Attempted to come here prior to a concert at the Prudential center. The show was at 8PM, we arrived at Alva at 6:30. We should have known to not even bother with the cluster f*ck that was the hostess desk. After about 20 minutes of standing around looking at all the open tables we were finally seated. Waited an additional 15 minutes before we grabbed someone who appeared to be a manager to find us a waiter. Once the waiter finally graced us with his presence we put in our drink and food orders and then the waiting began again. After thirty minutes, no drinks have even arrived. The bartender with her oh so stylish sunglasses on indoors was chatting with friends instead of serving drinks, wait staff was running around like a chicken with its head cut off. Eventually we just get up and left.
Do yourself a favor and avoid this place before an event at all costs. You would think they would be better prepared for event nights since the Prudential center has either a devils game or concert almost every night.
We ended up getting beers and chicken fingers at the stadium instead and couldn’t have been happier with our decision.

Went to the Stevie Wonder concert at the Prudential Center on Tuesday 4÷14÷2015. Stumbled upon what looked like a nice little place, right next to the Concert. THIS IS THE WORST RESTAURANT EXPERIENCE I HAVE EVER HAD, IN MY LIFE! It was SO horrible I honestly thought there were hidden cameras and we were being punked or a Restaurant Rescue show was being taped. To their benefit, the waiter said they normally do little business on a Tuesday and were not prepared. BUT, how do you run a restaurant next to a 20,000 seat building and NOT know their schedule?!
After waiting for 20 minutes (no reservations), they sat us, and we sat, and sat, and eventually a waiter came over and took our order for drinks and dinner. A couple then sat down on our right, and ordered as well. 30 minutes goes by… no drinks or food. That couple leaves.
Another couple was then seated to our left. The guy orders their drinks, dinner, and a piece of cake for dessert. 15 minutes later the waiter came with the drinks for the couple that left 20 minutes earlier. He proceeds to put them down on our table KNOWING that it’s not ours, and says «here, I won’t charge you for it!» A gin/​tonic and a champaign cocktail! My wife and I were waiting for 2 glasses of Chardonnay! WTF?!
Every server on our side of the restaurant who came out with food announced out loud what the food was, asked who ordered it, and offered it to whoever wanted it!
Then the server came out with the cake for the guy on our left! Before his dinner! Unbelievable. Still no drinks nor food for us. Then another 20 minutes later the couple to our left gets their food served (which included the same lobster Roll that my wife ordered!!)
My wife, who was starved at that point, stormed out in tears. I went yelling for the manager, and was told he was upstairs. All the rocket scientists at the hostess station said was «well, did you have reservations?»
I just left. My advice… Don’t go!!!

Eat here if you are NOT in a hurry!
Located at the Hotel Indigo, is this restaurant and bar. The kitchen seems to close at 10:00, and they also don’t provide room service after the kitchen closes either. They serve breakfast at 6:00 am, and my friends and I came here for breakfast on our last day, as we had a 11:00 am shuttle/​taxi to catch.
We arrived at 9:00 am, and the place was pretty much empty. Just 1 table of 4 was being used. Two staff members were working, and they were very accommodating to push tables together for my group of 10.
One thing my group member said was the food was good but the service was ridiculously slow when she had dinner there 2 nights before. She wasn’t kidding. Even for breakfast, it took about 15 minutes to have them bring out the cups of coffee, and for 10 people, only brought out 2 creamers.
The 2 staff hung out at the bar on the opposite end of the restaurant. We had to flag them to help us, which they did, but it was irritating they were clear across the room chatting amongst themselves.
The food took about 20 minutes to come out, except mine. I wasn’t particularly hungry so I ordered English muffin and a side of bacon. Pretty easy. Bread and bacon. I had to ask where my food was, and it came out… cold hard muffin, burnt bacon, and no butter. I had to ask for butter, which took about 5 minutes to get, and it was ice cold, which didn’t melt because my muffin was also cold. I didn’t send it back because I figured it would take too long.
We ended up leaving the restaurant at 10:30, giving us ½ hour to get our stuff from the room, check out, and get the taxi back to the airport.
For a place that’s empty, they must have just 1 cook doing everything. Not impressed, considering breakfast took 1 ½ hours

Newark has a new gem in town with this spot. Large bar area, exposed brick and the vault from the former bank this space occupies add to cool vibe. Start with the buratta with roasted beets. Follow that with the Pat LaFrieda burger w/​NY white cheddar. Brooklyn’s own Mast Brothers chocolate is used in one of the cakes on the dessert list to round out the meal. Only drawback is service that is friendly but slower than expected.

Very good food for the price. We have only eaten here during lunch time, the food is great… the service, sorry, but a little slow:(

Had a really great time at Alva last night. We were staying at the Hotel Indigo (delightful) and decided we didn’t want to venture out with all the people who were attending the Seton Hall game at the Pru. I usually abhor hotel bars/​restaurants, but wow, this one has changed my mind.
Alva (and the rest of the hotel) are beautifully themed. It’s amazing what they did with this old bank building on Broad St. The area is starting to change for the better, but the hotel outclasses everything.
First off — service. Everyone went out of their way to be accommodating, friendly and personable. When one of our party showed interest in the old safe, the hostess told us that it was the original safe, hollowed out, and converted to a huge oven. She offered to give us a tour when we were ready. The brickwork, tile and flooring are all great. The room divider appeared to be the old revolving door, repurposed without the glass.
OK, back to service. Phenomenal! The waiter was conscientious, letting us know what was in each dish as we asked, advising us if something had pork (hey, I love pork, bring it on) and giving us suggestions. I had the Hanger steak salad, yum! The steak was to the side, and rare, just the way I like it. The roquefort dressing on it was great. I asked for a glass of pinot to go with it and was very satisfied.
My friend had the Pat LaFrieda burger and said it was incredibly tasty. He was very happy with his choice of that burger and a Smutty Nose lager. Another friend tried the soup of the day, Pasta Fagioli, and really loved it.
The best part? The building is such a fortress that many cell phones don’t get much of a signal, so no one was interrupted during the meal.
We eschewed dessert and more drinks due to the keeping of our diet resolutions, but damn, we had a great time. Beware that parking is horrendous when there’s a game and very expensive. Use public transit if you can. Would I go back? Definitely.

So… Here is this amazing boutique hotel in downtown Newark. But wait. there’s more. Alva Tavern… named after Thomas Alva Edison.
This building has had several occupancies since its reign as the National State Bank however, Indigo hotel/​Alva tavern bring hommage to the edifice with restored features and preserved architecture.
Now onto the experience.
Service… two out of three thumbs up. Very attentive staff. Also friendly and familiar with the history of the city. I’ve been there twice and with each experience there was a mix up in my order and with the last visit a very undercooked fish. The bartender reported that the chef said we should have specified how we wanted the fish cooked. Huh? 1) the last time I went, I didn’t specify doneness and it was perfectly cooked 2) if that was a requirement, why was I not asked the prefered level of doneness when placing my order 3) why am I at fault? Customer is always right. Who serves under cooked salmon? Like seriously… who does that? It wasn’t a tartar or a seared sushi grade. Shut your face… I know my food and you were wrong, not me. Woosah… They fixed it though.
Food… three out of three thumbs up. There was a party happening the first time I went and we were offered delicious passed appetizers which were not on the menu. One was a pulled duck slider… uuuughh…so gooood. Then the salmon (the first time) which had a nice crispy skin and balanced flavor. Mussels were well dressed and plump. Mediterranean platter was also very light and filling. I heard that the spare ribs were good but didn’t try that.
Price… two out of three thumbs up. This is not a discount eatery. If you come for a three course dinner, prepare to spend $ 50 pp with one drink. I went on a pay day and simply decided to enjoy myself which I did. There are no food or drink specials… ever. (Read my tip for a tip)
Overall Experience… two out of three thumbs up. I keep good company so we have fun whereever we go. I love the ambiance and the historical praise. This will be my Cheer’s. The rooftop opens in January. Simply a great place to enjoy… so enjoy.

This brand new restaurant/​bar at the bottom of the new hotel Indigo in downtown Newark has a unique vibe. Much of the décor and fixtures are all borrowed from parts of Newark and have a Thomas A (lva) Edison theme. They kept the bank safe that existed when the building housed a bank and repurposed it as the door leading to the ovens. There’s a rooftop lounge that has a gorgeous skyline where you can see NYC in the distance. The rooftop lounge has garage doors that open to the outdoor terrace (can’t wait for the warm weather to come!).
I’ve been there for happy hour (French 75 was my favorite cocktail) and for lunch (the lobster roll had just enough mayo and a good amount of lobster meat; chips were tasty!). Staff is friendly and attentive.
Overall, a great add to downtown Newark!